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Got a Minute with GinGer Caccavale

Former women's pro baseball player now a top-scoring bowler

Published: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at 7:42 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at 7:42 a.m.

Age: 65 Residence: Hendersonville Family: Husband, Richard Occupation: Retired phone company worker Background information: GinGer Caccavale grew up in the Northeast and moved to Hendersonville 12 years ago. She is an avid bowler who bowls every Tuesday at Tarheel Lanes in the Tuesday Morning League. She is frequently the top scorer. She is also a former women's professional baseball player.

Tell us about the unique spelling of your first name.

It is kind of an interesting story. When I was in the fourth grade, Mr. Ferraro, I'll never forget him, told us all to make something about us individually. So, I decided to make two capital Gs in my name, and it's been that way ever since. People love it, and another thing is that if anyone ever tries to forge my name, it's just not going to work.

Where are you originally from?

We are from New Haven, Conn. I lived there practically all my life before moving here to Hendersonville. We decided to come and retire here for several reasons: the mountains, no crime, the slower pace. It was completely different than the Northeast.

None of my friends thought I'd even be here a month. They kept telling me that Hendersonville would be way too slow for me. We've been here now for 12 years, and they couldn't drag me away from here with wild horses.

What was kind of funny when we first moved here is that there weren't many Italians here. I spent the first few years just trying to get everyone to learn how to spell and pronounce our last name. Everyone kept asking, “Now, how do you pronounce that again?”

How long have you been bowling?

I've really been bowling my whole life. I had bowled competitively in tournaments in Connecticut for a long time and won several tournaments. My highest game ever is a 243 with a 580 set. I'll probably never do that again.

When I got here, it was actually my hairdresser who told me that I should join a league. She said, “Well, you know, if you are looking for something to do in town, we have a bowling league.” So I first joined a ladies bowling league. And when they disbanded, I joined what we refer to as a “retiree” league. Then later we formed our league, the Tuesday Morning League, and I've been with it ever since.

Does everyone get along in the league?

We have a banquet at the end of each season, and we always have a lot of fun. We award prizes for high games, high series and also most improved. That's the main thing we all get out of our league is having fun. There are never any negative Tuesday mornings in our group. We all are positive, and we've formed great friendships with each other. It's always a great start to the day, and it's non-stressful. It's every Tuesday morning at Tarheel Lanes.

Do you have any lucky balls that you use?

I have my big grape ... my purple ball. That's what I call it, “my big grape.” It's the one I always use.

Talk about you volunteer work.

Before I came here, I was a rape crisis counselor and also a domestic violence counselor. I also volunteer for the United Way. I was on the board for Big Brothers Big Sisters, and that involved a lot of fundraising efforts. Now, I volunteer for Four Seasons hospice at Elizabeth House. On Saturdays, I work the store there. That's the fun part. More people should come from Hendersonville to the store to see it.

Would you consider yourself more of a tomboy?

Having four brothers, we did not play with Barbies; we played with basketballs. Me and my brothers had great times growing up, playing against each other. We always had enough for teams, and I was the only girl on my dad's side of the family. Two of my brothers died not long ago, and they died just eight days apart. They were 51 and 52 years old.

We always had great loyalties to our sports teams in the Northeast. I'm a Patriots fan and a Yankees fan ... always have been and always will be. I used to have a good friend in Connecticut who worked at Winchesters and used to get us box seat tickets to all the Yankees games. It was great.

I also played baseball, football and basketball growing up. I've got a good arm. I actually played Class-A baseball in a professional women's league for a while in the late '60s. I was the pitcher. I'll never forget the baseball glove I had ... it was my husband's glove, and it was signed by Phil Rizzuto. Back when I was playing, Phil had of course retired and did commercials for the Money Store. So my teammates would always look at my glove and say, “Why do you have the Money Store guy's signature on your baseball glove?” I thought that was the funniest thing.

What's a typical day like for you now?

I used to run track in high school, and I still love to run. My doctor keeps telling me “It's not good for your knees, it's not good for your knees.” Well, when my knees start hurting, then that's when I'll stop. I run every morning, and people have told me that there are bears, a mountain lion and other wild animals near there. I run anyway. The other morning, I hear rustling in the woods as I'm running, and I'm kinda nervous. I'm thinking bear in my head, so I stop. I turn around, and it's a mother deer and her three little fawns. They run across the street and into the field to eat. Now that's the way to start a morning.

I do my regular bowling on Tuesdays, and I also am starting to get into bridge, which is pretty complicated. I'm learning though. They say it helps to keep your mind going as you get old, but you know what? I refuse to get old. I'm going to fight it every inch of the way.

<p>Age: 65 Residence: Hendersonville Family: Husband, Richard Occupation: Retired phone company worker Background information: GinGer Caccavale grew up in the Northeast and moved to Hendersonville 12 years ago. She is an avid bowler who bowls every Tuesday at Tarheel Lanes in the Tuesday Morning League. She is frequently the top scorer. She is also a former women's professional baseball player.</p><p>Tell us about the unique spelling of your first name.</p><p>It is kind of an interesting story. When I was in the fourth grade, Mr. Ferraro, I'll never forget him, told us all to make something about us individually. So, I decided to make two capital Gs in my name, and it's been that way ever since. People love it, and another thing is that if anyone ever tries to forge my name, it's just not going to work.</p><p>Where are you originally from?</p><p>We are from New Haven, Conn. I lived there practically all my life before moving here to Hendersonville. We decided to come and retire here for several reasons: the mountains, no crime, the slower pace. It was completely different than the Northeast.</p><p>None of my friends thought I'd even be here a month. They kept telling me that Hendersonville would be way too slow for me. We've been here now for 12 years, and they couldn't drag me away from here with wild horses.</p><p>What was kind of funny when we first moved here is that there weren't many Italians here. I spent the first few years just trying to get everyone to learn how to spell and pronounce our last name. Everyone kept asking, “Now, how do you pronounce that again?”</p><p>How long have you been bowling?</p><p>I've really been bowling my whole life. I had bowled competitively in tournaments in Connecticut for a long time and won several tournaments. My highest game ever is a 243 with a 580 set. I'll probably never do that again.</p><p>When I got here, it was actually my hairdresser who told me that I should join a league. She said, “Well, you know, if you are looking for something to do in town, we have a bowling league.” So I first joined a ladies bowling league. And when they disbanded, I joined what we refer to as a “retiree” league. Then later we formed our league, the Tuesday Morning League, and I've been with it ever since.</p><p>Does everyone get along in the league?</p><p>We have a banquet at the end of each season, and we always have a lot of fun. We award prizes for high games, high series and also most improved. That's the main thing we all get out of our league is having fun. There are never any negative Tuesday mornings in our group. We all are positive, and we've formed great friendships with each other. It's always a great start to the day, and it's non-stressful. It's every Tuesday morning at Tarheel Lanes.</p><p>Do you have any lucky balls that you use?</p><p>I have my big grape ... my purple ball. That's what I call it, “my big grape.” It's the one I always use.</p><p>Talk about you volunteer work.</p><p>Before I came here, I was a rape crisis counselor and also a domestic violence counselor. I also volunteer for the United Way. I was on the board for Big Brothers Big Sisters, and that involved a lot of fundraising efforts. Now, I volunteer for Four Seasons hospice at Elizabeth House. On Saturdays, I work the store there. That's the fun part. More people should come from Hendersonville to the store to see it.</p><p>Would you consider yourself more of a tomboy?</p><p>Having four brothers, we did not play with Barbies; we played with basketballs. Me and my brothers had great times growing up, playing against each other. We always had enough for teams, and I was the only girl on my dad's side of the family. Two of my brothers died not long ago, and they died just eight days apart. They were 51 and 52 years old.</p><p>We always had great loyalties to our sports teams in the Northeast. I'm a Patriots fan and a Yankees fan ... always have been and always will be. I used to have a good friend in Connecticut who worked at Winchesters and used to get us box seat tickets to all the Yankees games. It was great.</p><p>I also played baseball, football and basketball growing up. I've got a good arm. I actually played Class-A baseball in a professional women's league for a while in the late '60s. I was the pitcher. I'll never forget the baseball glove I had ... it was my husband's glove, and it was signed by Phil Rizzuto. Back when I was playing, Phil had of course retired and did commercials for the Money Store. So my teammates would always look at my glove and say, “Why do you have the Money Store guy's signature on your baseball glove?” I thought that was the funniest thing.</p><p>What's a typical day like for you now?</p><p>I used to run track in high school, and I still love to run. My doctor keeps telling me “It's not good for your knees, it's not good for your knees.” Well, when my knees start hurting, then that's when I'll stop. I run every morning, and people have told me that there are bears, a mountain lion and other wild animals near there. I run anyway. The other morning, I hear rustling in the woods as I'm running, and I'm kinda nervous. I'm thinking bear in my head, so I stop. I turn around, and it's a mother deer and her three little fawns. They run across the street and into the field to eat. Now that's the way to start a morning.</p><p>I do my regular bowling on Tuesdays, and I also am starting to get into bridge, which is pretty complicated. I'm learning though. They say it helps to keep your mind going as you get old, but you know what? I refuse to get old. I'm going to fight it every inch of the way.</p><p>Interview by DEAN HENSLEY / Photo by MIKE DIRKS</p>